Branch Committee, 2011

By Penny Evans

The branch held their AGM on 19 February 2011. The new committee is as follows:

Designation	Name
Chairman	Lucas Rinken
Vice-Chairman	Bob Saunders
Recording Secretary	John Stephens
Membership Secretary	Gerard Marloth
Treasurer	Dennis Pretorius
Assistant Treasurer	Barbara Bouwer
Events Secretary	Margaret Humphries
Librarian	Graham Southey
Librarian Assistant	Louise Dick
Editor, Newsletter	Neels Coertse
Publicity and Blog Liaison	Penny Evans
Cemetery Recording	Giel Nel
Product Sales	Kriek Fourie

Lucas Rinken thanked the committee for their hard work and commitment. He welcomed Bob Saunders and thanked him for being prepared to serve on the committee.

After the AGM Jack Holloway (right), son of Dr JE Holloway, and a long standing friend of Graham Southey spoke about the Anti-convict Movement of 1849. During that year the British intended to establish a penal colony at the Cape as was the case in Australia and Tasmania.

The colonists of the Cape stood together when they heard about this. Jack Holloway’s great grandfather, George Holloway signed the anti convict petition. In this petition they declared that they would have nothing to do with the government and would not sell produce to the ship, The Neptune, on which the convicts were held.

The ship lay at anchor for months and the convicts might have perished had it not been for a few who were loyal to the British government. One of them was Captain Robert Stanford. He owned a large farm, Kleine Rivers, and he was able to send produce to the convict ship.

His actions were regarded as treason by the colonists and he was ostracized.

Captain Stanford’s child became ill and died on the way to Cape Town. Stanford approached George Holloway, who owned the Coaching Inn in Kuilsrivier for a room where the child could be laid out. George Holloway agreed but knew that this would cause trouble if he assisted Stanford.

He was boycotted, became bankrupt and lost everything. In 1854 George Holloway sent a petition to the British government asking for compensation. This petition is now in Stanford House.

Edward Robert Stanford, a grandson of Captain Robert Stanford, married Daisy Wayland who was a distant relative of Graham Southey.

Cemetery Recording Outing on 5 February 2011

Report and photographs by Penny Evans

Members of the West Gauteng branch met at the Danie Theron Church which is situated in a semi-rural area to the south of Johannesburg. By 09:30 am we were ready to go to the Eye of Africa, a golfing estate in the Alewynspoort area.

This estate is situated in an area that was previously a farm which had belonged to Mr and Mrs Tanning. Situated within the estate is an old family cemetery which is enclosed by a stone wall.

Many of the graves did not have a headstone. Some of the headstones had been so badly weathered that the inscription had been completely eroded. Other headstones were in good condition and the group readily set to work taking photographs and recording the information.

Members of the following families have been buried here: Mulder, White, Van der Merwe, Van Zyl, Smit, Meyer, Van derWalt, Snijman, Smith, Labuschagne, Booysen, Roos and Reyneke.

It is difficult to know when the first family members were buried here. From an existing headstone one sees that a Mr Viljoen passed away in 1898. Most family members were buried from the 1920's to the 1960's, although a few were buried in the 1980's. There is a recent grave dating to November 2010. Fresh flowers had been placed on this grave.

The weather was ideal, the surroundings beautiful and peaceful. By late morning we were ready to enjoy our picnic at a nearby spot under shady pine trees. Lush green grass grew under these trees.

In the vicinity were two buildings from a previous era — a dilapidated farm silo and a small farm school which was being renovated. At 12:30 pm we reluctantly left.

The following members attended: John and Iris Stephens, Lucas Rinken, Barbara Bouwer, Pieter Oosthuizen, Gerard Marloth, Robyn Templeton, Bob Saunders, Christa Roberts, Margaret Humphries, Penny Evans, Irene Strydom of Tedderfield and Di Kruger of the Dumblade Conservancy.

A big thank you to John and Iris Stephens for the arrangements and refreshments. We look forward to the next outing in this area.